Evil, destructive people must be scrupulously avoided. Everyone else, including yourself, requires a lot of forgiveness. You cannot punish your abuser by withholding forgiveness. On the contrary, you can repudiate your abuser and supersede the abuse by intentionally choosing to live a different type of life, with positive responses.

Of all the ways we can respond to each other, you can choose love, mercy, and forgiveness. These will first enrich your life, then bless the lives of others.

Think about what forgiveness means to you:

Does forgiveness mean letting someone off the hook?

It has been said that forgiving is also forgetting. Do you believe that’s a good definition? Is so, why? It not, why not?

Is it difficult for you to grant someone forgiveness if he or she doesn’t ask for it first?

Do you think forgiveness involves an element of risk? If so, what is the risk?

How many times should you be expected to forgive someone?

Are there some people you should not be expected to forgive?

Do you feel forgiven by God?

With negative, destructive examples in your past, it is imperative that you constantly align yourself with God’s overwhelmingly positive presence in your present and future. He will be your source of healing, forgiveness, and strength to rise above what was done to you by the sin of others.

Even more, it is his divine desire to heal your broken heart and rebuild your damaged spirit. Make your relationship with him the primary relationship in your life. Do this, and your ability to love yourself and others will multiply in the bounty of his love for you.

Please take some time to think about and answer the questions below. They aren’t necessarily meant to draw you into a conclusion, but are meant to stimulate thought:

How would you describe your present relationship with God?

Are you satisfied with your present relationship with God?

Do you feel comfortable praying to God by yourself? When you pray to God, do you feel close to him?

Do you pray because you want to talk to God or because you feel obligated to?

Does the thought of prayer make you fearful, uncomfortable, awkward, or apprehensive?

Do you spend time regularly reading God’s Word? Do you generally understand what you read?

Do you read the bible out of a sense of obligation or duty?

Have you ever felt God speak to you through what you read? If so, in what way?

Are you a member of a faith community? If so, what do you gain from being a member?

If you are not a member of a faith community, what reasons have you given for not joining?

As you consider your responses to these questions, here is a prayer from which to draw strength.

God, with your love to strengthen me, I can truly look at and understand how I have been hurt. Bind my wounds. Rebuild who you created me to be. Help me trust you. Help me to forgive myself and others.

Authored by Dr. Gregory Jantz, founder of The Center • A Place of HOPE and author of 35 books. Pioneering whole-person care nearly 30 years ago, Dr. Jantz has dedicated his life’s work to creating possibilities for others, and helping people change their lives for good. The Center • A Place of HOPE, located on the Puget Sound in Edmonds, Washington, creates individualized programs to treat behavioral and mental health issues, including eating disorders, addiction, depression, anxiety and others.

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